Tank closure



May 25, 1937. H. @STEELE 2,081,717

` TANK cLosURE x9 Y 7'71' 7 D /7 q/' (4, j Inventor Attori-cys H. C. STEELE TANK CLOSURE May 25, 1937.

2 Sheds-Sheet 2 Filed April 21. 1 956 Inventor l dvd-- Attorneys Patented May 25, 1937.

nam c. Steele, Ashland, ny. Application April 21, 1936, serial No. '15,605

l Claim.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in closures and more particularly-to a tank closure.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a tank closure such as are employed on automobile gasoline tanks, with means wherey by it can be locked and unlocked from a remote control point without any inconvenience to the operator.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a tank closure equipped with spring and lock means, through the use of which, and' in conjunction with electrical means, can beunlocked and automatically opened by remote control.

These and various other important objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical section on` the' line 2--2 of Figure 1. l y

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure. 1.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the spring ring. Figure 5' is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the latch means of the closure.

Figure 6 Iis a fragmentary detailed sectional view showing the solenoid. l

Figure 'l is a diagrammatic view showing the electrical connection between the electrical devices employed.

Referring to the drawings wherein .like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen that numeral 5 denotes a tank, such as a gasoline tank,

' provided with the filler neck 9 at the top there- This neck 6 is provided with an inturned flange 1 having a depending peripheral vlip 9.-

Numeral 9 generally refers to the control means on the neck and this includes a substantially 39 of the solenoid 39.

(cl. '2oz-201) The-shell of the means 9 also includes the outer wall I9 as well as the top and bottom walls I1 and I8.

As is shown in Figure 1, a portion of theside wall I9 is cut oil on the plane I9 and outwardly from this extends a pair/of hinged ears 29-20 between which are disposed the ears 2I-2I on the apron portion 22 ot the cap 23. A spring 24 coiled on the hinge pin' 25, which is disposed through theV ears 2li-2|, has one end portion bearing against the skirt 22 of the cap and the other end portion bearing against the wall I9.

'Ihe cap 23 has a depending annular shoulder 26 which at its inner peripheral portion has a circumferentiallyextending and 'depending lip 2l, which over-rides the packing gasket 23 lov catedpupon the shoulder II. (See Figure 3.)

Numeral 29 represents an integral keeper depending from the cap 23 and provided with the lip formed head 30. This keeper 29 depends through the'opening 3| in the top wall I1 of the shell 9.

'l'he latch consists of the sleeve 32 rotatable on the upstanding pin 33 in the shell 9,-this pin '33 extending from the bottom wall I8 into the boss 34 depending from the cap 23.

The sleeve 32 has an arm 35 extending laterally therefrom and provided with an upstanding lip-formed head 39 complementary to the head 30.

in the nature of a yoke, straddling the armature The amature 3 8 has ahead Ml for action against the forked arms 3'l-3'L A wire spring 4I is interposed between the boss 3l and the latch arm 35 (see Figure 5)- for normally maintaining the heads 39-36 engaged.

In Figure 7, numeral 42 represents the usual battery of an automobile'electrical system from which the lead 43 extends to the ignition switch 44 and from this `switch the conductor 4I exthere byway oi the conductor to the electromagnet 39.

Obviously by. closing the'switch Il, the armature 39 is drawn in Vupon the energization of the solenoid 39, causing the head 49 to pull inwardly,

on the forked anns 31, swlning the sleeve 32, so as to dlsengage the head 33 from the head 39 and thus permitting the spring 24to throw the cap 23 upwardly tov an open position. Thus the cap can be disposed to open position without the driver leaving his seat, and this is very The sleeve 32 also has a pair of arms 31--31 tends to the cap controlling switch 46 and from 4 convenient when pulling into agasoline station, since it I saves the driverthe trouble of setting out of the car and opening a locked gasoline tank cap so that the station attendant can place gasoline in the tank.

While the foregoing speclication4 sets forth'.v the invention in specic terms, it is to 'be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention 'as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention, claimed as new is:

A lock closure for-the ller necks of tanks comprising a hinged closure mounted on the neck, a housing disposed around the neck and what@ over which the closure is disposed, an electromagnet mounted in the housing, said electromagnet being provided with a movable core proy vided with an outstanding shoulder at its outer 

